World War ITimeline

1915

1915
7 November

Enlisted at the age of 27

Main Body

Trained

Avondale, Auckland
1915
18 December

Transfer to England

Steamship Ruapehu

1916

1916
3 February

Marched in to the Company Training Camp, Falmouth

1916
9 March

Embarked for France

1916
16 March
Three officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company seated and posing in a trench during World War I, wearing military uniforms and helmet.

The Company joined the underground warfare in the North of France

1916
15 August

Granted leave to France

1916
26 August

Rejoined the Company

1916
18 October

Granted leave to France

1916
29 October

Rejoined the Company

1916
16 November
Two New Zealand Tunnellers working underground during World War I; one man shovels rubble while the other digs into the chalk tunnel wall.

The Company began the operations to connect old underground quarries in Arras in order to accommodate thousands of soldiers for an upcoming battle

1916
22 November

Appointed Adjutant

1916
4 December

Relinquished appointment of Adjutant

1917

1917
22 March

Detached to Mine School

1917
1 April

Rejoined the Company

1917
9 April

British Offensive

Battle of Arras
Soldiers marching along a road carrying shovels, heading toward a section of the road that requires repair during World War I.

The Company was employed to rebuild a major road leading to the Front during the battle

1917
16 April

Appointed Adjutant

1917
5 May
A group of New Zealand Tunnellers posing inside their billet in an underground quarry near the front line; four of them are playing cards while others look on.

The Company moved to Monchy, ten kilometres east of Arras, to work on the fortification of the new front line

1917
8 May

Relinquished appointment of Adjutant

1917
23 September

Granted leave to Paris

1917
29 September

Rejoined the Company

1917
1 November

Appointed temporary Captain

1917
3 November

Appointed Adjutant

1917
19 November

Relinquished appointment of Adjutant

1917
20 November

Granted leave

1917
6 December

Rejoined the Company

1918

1918
1 January
Overview of the sawmill built and operated by the New Zealand Tunnellers, located alongside a railway line, with stacks of timber and workers visible.

The Company was still carrying out the digging of underground premises and defences on the Front near Arras

1918
6 March

Relinquished appointment of temporary Captain

1918
15 March

Granted leave

1918
21 March

German Attacks

Spring Offensive
Two soldiers standing outside the entrance of a shaft in a desolate area of the front line, surrounded by barren ground and war-damaged terrain.

The Company was engaged in the defence of Arras by digging new trenches and dug-outs under constant enemy shellfire

1918
17 April

Rejoined the Company

1918
26 May

Detached on command to No.1 NZ Engineers Field Company

1918
1 July

Rejoined the Company

1918
24 July

Promoted Captain

1918
8 August

Allied Attacks

Hundred Days Offensive
1918
27 September
Officers of the New Zealand Tunnelling Company posing in front of a newly completed military bridge built by their men during World War I.

The Company experienced its newly reconversion in bridge construction

1918
14 October

Granted leave to the United Kingdom

1918
31 October

Rejoined the Company

1918
11 November

Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice
Military bridge built by the New Zealand Tunnellers spanning a river in the town of Cambrai; surrounding houses are a mix of intact structures and war-damaged ruins.

The Company continued to build bridges to reconnect a fragmented territory

1918
27 December

Discharged

1919

1919
1 January

Embarked for England

1919
2 January

Marched in to NZ Sling Camp, Bulford

1919
15 February

Marched in to NZ Depot, Codford

1919
14 March

Transfer to New Zealand

Troopship Ionic
1919
22 May

End of Service

Demobilization

How to cite this page

Anthony Byledbal, “World War I Timeline of Robert Henry Price Ronayne“, New Zealand Tunnellers Website, NaN (2009), Accessed: . URL: www.nztunnellers.com/tunnellers/736/wwi-timeline